self-realisation
Shri Mataji
I met an elderly couple whilst doing my junk mail run. We started chatting whenever I reached their letter box, until they stopped being in their garden when I walked past.
Weeks went by before Mr Jones called out to me and came to talk. He told me that his wife had been very sick and since then she had “terrible nerves and couldn’t do anything”. She wasn’t even leaving the house and just wanted to stay in bed. He said that he had been told that I taught meditation and asked me if I would come to their house and teach his wife to meditate to see if that would help her. Normally, I would never agree, but these people were in their 80s, and I could feel how much concern and love he had for his wife. So I agreed.
Mrs Jones invited me to sit next to her on the lounge. We began talking, and I explained how Sahaja Yoga worked. I showed her the green meditation card with the photograph of Shri Mataji and explained the process of Self-realisation. I put the card down as I showed her where to place her hands and explained the affirmations. I felt the vibrations flowing as we closed our eyes for her to receive her realisation. The vibrations became very strong, and so I guided her through a short meditation. Finally, we opened our eyes. I looked at Mrs Jones. Her eyes were filled with tears. I asked her how she felt. She replied with a smile, “I feel relaxed for the first time since…” She never finished the sentence but just took hold of my hand.
We sat and enjoyed another short meditation. Then I left, telling her that I would come back in a week. When I returned Mrs Jones told me that she had been meditating twice a day and that she felt a lot better.
A few days later I saw the local doctor.
“Look at you!” she exclaimed. “I feel like I’m looking at a completely different person! What have you been doing?” I told her that I was still meditating. For some reason, I mentioned Mrs Jones. The doctor replied, “Yes, I know. I saw her yesterday. It’s remarkable what you have done for her.”
I felt so humbled because I knew that I had not done a thing. I wandered into the chemist shop to buy soap. To my amazement, I received the same kind of reception from the chemist. I gave the same reply to the question of what I had been doing. Once again, I was incredibly humbled and, to be honest, stunned as the chemist said, “It’s amazing to see the change in Mrs Jones. She told me about the meditation and said that she’s been out gardening, and she’s even had her hair done.”
This experience reminded me that it is just pure desire and thoughtless awareness that enables Self-realisation and nothing more. We actually do nothing. I also learned that you are never too old to be transformed. Mrs Jones was proof that Sahaja Yoga absolutely transforms a person, including the person “giving” realisation.
Lisa Barron
H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of the worldwide meditation movement called Sahaja Yoga, passed away peacefully on 23rd February, 2011 in Genoa, Italy, aged 87.
Hers was a life unlike any other. Whether walking with kings or walking barefoot with Gandhi, it was a journey of extremes managed effortlessly, living as she did with grace, dignity and, always, loving guidance.
Shri Mataji’s was to be a truly remarkable path.
Born of a royal dynasty; she conferred as a child with Mahatma Gandhi, living for a time in his ashram; was a medical student and a freedom fighter; was an adored mother, grandmother, great grandmother and the wife of a distinguished diplomat who himself was decorated by the Kings and Presidents of innumerable countries and knighted by the Queen of England. But incredibly, after all this, with her family grown and settled, she then embarked on an even more extraordinary mission.
Shri Mataji was born to Christian parents in India. Spiritually enlightened, she knew from very early on that her unique spiritual gift must be made available to everyone. And so it was that in 1970 she founded Sahaja Yoga meditation, which she shared freely. Using simple techniques, she discovered a unique process of Self Realisation through which huge masses of people could easily achieve the peace of true meditation. She charged no money, and instead insisted this was a birthright which should be available to all who desired it, at no cost. She said
“There can be no peace in the world until there is peace within”.
Thus began the next outstanding stage of her life: for the next forty years, she continuously travelled Continue reading
Ellouin Festival, Altai Region
Ellouin is a traditional festival of Altai people’s folk games conducted in picturesque places of the Altai mountains near the settlement of Ongudai. Ellouin is the most important cultural event in Altai Republic and is yearly visited by more than 10,000 people.
Folk arts and crafts were widely presented at this festival. In the valley, surrounded by the mountains, there gathered about 20,000 people. The concert ground was the setting for Altai music. In yurts there were organised performances based in folklore. There were also many unusual crafts. In such a multiform seething stream we set our tents with Sahaja Yoga stalls, comfortably enjoying what was happening in the shade of the trees.
There gathered about 60 Sahaja yogis which created the atmosphere of a little Sahaja camp.
Mehendi painting at Ellouin Festival
There was work for everybody. Several mehendi painters sitting under a shelter were working for several hours on end painting people’s hands, not even raising their heads, and giving Self-realisation to everyone as there always was a queue . Other Sahaja yogis told people about Sahaja Yoga. Our brother Vladimir was actively giving Self-realisation using his own approach. First he arranged a rope between the trees and then started going on it to and back with brilliant skill, thus constantly attracting people. Many of the latter tried to do the same thing but, as we all know, to keep equilibrium one should gain inner balance. That is why the queue of people willing to get balance did not end, either.
Sahaja Yoga Bhajan group, Ellouin Festival
All this was taking place to the accompaniment of bhajans. Two music groups settled down in two tents. Both the groups were constantly creating a dense circle of viewers around them. Kawwalis were of special interest, gathering audiences of 50-70 people. Some people were leaving, having got their Self-realisation, but immediately others came up.
Altai people are simple and sincere and they take Self-realisation very easily as they worship Mother-Earth, River and Mountains. That is why Sahaja Yoga is also close to them. We saw an old woman (about 90 years old) getting her Self-realisation and then she sat and listened to bhajans for a very long time.
We also got an opportunity to perform one bhajan, “Guruoke Guru”, and an Indian dance on the main stage before a large audience.
In such a way, in a very interesting and intensive manner, two days passed. And of course, we had an opportunity, though not for a long time, to enjoy Altai nature, as after the Festival we returned to our Sahaja camp which we set on the bank of a rapid river in a secluded wonderful place. There were huge boundless fragrant meadows painted with multicoloured grasses. In the distance there were herds of cows and horses and around us there were mountains. What else does a Sahaja yogi need after an intensive day? To sit at a swift river in meditation, to lie on soft and tender grass looking into the high Altai sky, to sit in the company of the closest and dearest people – his brothers and sisters – at a fire drinking hot tea prepared from meadow herbs.
The trip turned out to be very fruitful as about 1500 people got their Self-realisation during the two days.
With love from the Novosibirsk Sahaja family
(Photographs: news.sahajayoga-russia.ru)
For more news about Sahaja Yoga programs in Russia, please follow this link.
Shri Mataji
But the attention should be on the Power, attention should be on the connection that we have with this Power…. Thank God and thank yourself, thank your luck you’re so fortunate that you are very few who have achieved this connection, and that you are sucking that Power within yourself so easily….
And you have to trust this Power fully. Those days when people were in difficulties, they were always attacked, they had not got their Self-realisation. They had to put their trust into the divine Power; they had to put. But now when you have got realisation, you have got your freedom, should never forget that you have to trust this divine Power all the time, that it will look after you….
And if you people do not use your power – out of any nonsense, any fear you may have; you may have any kind of a, because of a temptation or restriction, anything –
if you’re not going all out to use your power of love, then you cannot ascend. So the whole thing if you see it so clearly, the whole power of your Mother is of love.
Whatever She does is out of Her love for Her creation.
Shri Mataji, 1990